I'm on the Rev. Dr. Brian K. Gigee, Lead Pastor, New Life Lutheran Church, Pearland, TX. e-mail list. Brian is a colleague, fellow Lutheran, and friend. In his latest e-mail to the congregation he serves was a piece on "Entertainment Evangelism" I found interesting. Brian serves in what is considered the "bible belt" and in the shadows of several "mega churches" and yet he serves and works along side of the congregation in one of the ELCA's growing faith communities.
So... while you may or may not like the term "Entertainment Evangelism" Brian has a different take on it... and one that makes sense to me as well.
Let me know what you think.
"I was talking with someone about being a mainline Lutheran church and how we compared to the TV evangelism churches... the reference was about "Entertainment Evangelism"... chime in as you care to... some like it and some don't... and me?... I don't care... and here's why...
Help me carve the word 'en-ter-tain-ment' out... like this...
En = go in
ter = land (territory, terrarium, terra)
tain = hold (the fountain holds the font.)
ment= the state of or practice of... like 'government' = the practice of
governing, etc...
Do people really come to church to be entertained? Maybe. I think mostly not. But, people do expect something to happen in worship. Something like a change of heart, change of thought, a sense of being renewed... gaining a good perspective on all that's not right with ourselves... I have lots of ways to be entertained... and yet, I do expect God to show up on every Sunday to bless us, feed us and empower us, etc... and sometimes it's joyful... like Christmas and Easter and sometimes it's quieter and more introspective... like Ash Wednesday and All Saint's Sunday... Memorial Day can be like that, too... a quieter time of worship to reflect on those who
have paid a price so you can come to worship this Sunday and I can write about it here...
So, let me put Jesus in the middle of this... as the purveyor of 'entertainment'.... as in Jesus entered our land... entered our world... entered our lives... and holds us... that's what 'en-ter-tain-ment' literally is, right? Jesus coming to us with the 'font' ... the fountain for our sake...
But, we can't leave it at that... WE should be entertaining to the world, too! It is good and right, we say, in all times and in all places... that we should go out to enter the world... our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our homes, our kitchens, our bedrooms and hold on to others... But I suppose we've got to get out of the church building to do that... and we do... that's why we gather each Sunday... this one being no different!"
He is also now an author... "God Works" you can find it on Amazon for Kindle @ $9.99
http://www.amazon.com/God-Works-Brian-K-Gigee-ebook/dp/B00HFUXFXC
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